1 T he word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning and against the nations.

2 O f Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-Necho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah.

Concerning and against Egypt: against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote and defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

3 M ake ready buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!

Put in order the buckler and shield, and advance for battle!

4 H arness the horses, and mount ye horsemen, and stand forth with helmets; polish the spears, put on the coats of mail!

Harness the horses, and mount, you horsemen! Stand forth with your helmets! Polish the spears, put on the coats of mail!

5 W hy do I see them dismayed, turned away back? And their mighty ones are beaten down, and take to flight, and look not back? Terror on every side, saith Jehovah.

Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward, and their mighty warriors are beaten down. They flee in haste and look not back; terror is on every side! says the Lord.

6 L et not the swift flee away, neither let the mighty man escape!—Toward the north, hard by the river Euphrates, they have stumbled and fallen.

Let not the swift flee nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they stumble and fall.

7 W ho is this riseth up as the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?

Who is this that rises up like the Nile, like the branches whose waters surge and toss?

8 I t is Egypt that riseth up as the Nile, and waters toss themselves like the rivers; and he saith, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

Egypt rises like the Nile, like the rivers whose waters surge and toss. She says, I will rise, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.

9 G o up, ye horses, and drive furiously, ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Phut that handle the shield, and the Ludim that handle the bow bend it.

Go up, you horses, and drive furiously, you chariots! Let the warriors go forth—men of Ethiopia and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud who are skilled in handling and stringing the bow.

10 F or this is the day of the Lord Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may be avenged of his adversaries; and the sword shall devour, and it shall be sated and made drunk with their blood; for the Lord Jehovah of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country, by the river Euphrates.

But that day is a day of the Lord, the Lord of hosts—a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. And the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, the Lord of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

11 G o up to Gilead, and fetch balm, O virgin-daughter of Egypt! In vain shalt thou multiply remedies: there is no healing for thee.

Go up into Gilead and take balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain do you use many medicines; for you there is no healing or remedy.

12 T he nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the earth; for the mighty man stumbleth against the mighty, they are both fallen together.

The nations have heard of your disgrace and shame, and your cry has filled the earth. For warrior has stumbled against and thrown down warrior, and they have fallen both of them together.

13 T he word that Jehovah spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, concerning the coming of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt:

The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and his smiting of the land of Egypt:

14 D eclare in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph, and in Tahpanhes; say, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword devoureth round about thee.

Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol; and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes; say, Stand forth and get yourself ready, for the sword devours round about you.

15 W hy are thy valiants swept away? They stood not, for Jehovah did thrust them down.

Why is your strong one swept and dragged away? He stood not, because the Lord drove him and thrust him down.

16 H e made many to stumble, yea, one fell upon another; and they said, Arise, and let us return to our own people and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.

made many to stumble and fall; yes, they fell one upon another. And they said, Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.

17 T here did they cry, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath let the time appointed go by.

They cried there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is destroyed and is only a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by!

18 I live, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts, surely as Tabor among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.

As I live, says the King, Whose name is the Lord of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.

19 T hou, inhabitress, daughter of Egypt, furnish for thyself a captive's baggage, for Noph shall be a desolation and shall be ruined, so that none shall dwell therein.

O you daughter who dwells in Egypt and you who dwell with her, furnish yourselves to go into exile, for Memphis will be waste, desolate, and burned up, without inhabitant.

20 E gypt is a very fair heifer; the gad-fly cometh, it cometh from the north.

Egypt is a very fair heifer, but destruction is coming—out of the north it is coming!

21 A lso her hired men in the midst of her are like fatted bullocks; for they also have turned back, they have fled away together, they did not stand; for the day of their calamity is come upon them, the time of their visitation.

Also her hired troops in the midst of her are like fatted calves, for they also are turned back and are fleeing together; they do not stand, because the day of their calamity is coming upon them, the time of their visitation (their inspection and punishment).

22 H er voice shall go like a serpent's; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.

The sound is like the rustling of an escaping serpent, for her foes advance with a mighty army and come against her with axes, like those who fell trees and cut wood.

23 T hey shall cut down her forest, saith Jehovah, though it be impenetrable; for they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.

They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts and cannot be counted.

24 T he daughter of Egypt is put to shame; she is delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

The Daughter of Egypt shall be disgraced; she shall be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.

25 J ehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saith, Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, and her gods, and her kings; yea, Pharaoh and them that confide in him.

The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will visit punishment upon Amon of No or Thebes, and upon Pharaoh and Egypt, with her gods and her kings—even Pharaoh and all those who put their trust in.

26 A nd I will give them into the hand of those that seek their life, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; but afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith Jehovah.

And I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hands of his servants. Afterward will be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.

27 B ut thou, my servant Jacob, fear not, neither be dismayed, Israel: for behold, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make afraid.

But fear not, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel. For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their exile; and Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and none will make him afraid.

28 F ear thou not, my servant Jacob, saith Jehovah: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee with judgment, and I will not hold thee altogether guiltless.

Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says the Lord, for I am with you. For I will make a full and complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you; yet I will not make a full end of you. But I will chasten and correct you in just measure, and I will not hold you guiltless by any means or leave you unpunished.